Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1887-06-08
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BY II. RIDER HAGGARD,
AUTHOR OF "KINa soLoMoN's MINES"
"sHE," ETC. ETC.
CHAPTER XIV.
A ROUGH JOURNEY.
The four grays wore fresh horses, In gooo
condition and with light load behind them,
30, Notwithstanding the bad condition OF the
tracks which they call roads in South Africa,
John made good progress.
By II o'clock that day he had reached
Standerton, a little town upon the Vaal, not
far from which he was destined, had he but
known it, to meet with a sufficiently striking
experience. Here he obtained confirmation
of the Bronker's Spruit disaster, and listened
with set face and blazing eyes to the tale OF
treachery and wholesale massacre which was,
as he said, without parallel in the annals Of
civilized war.
At Stauderton John was again warned
.stlkSb I'D a INT HIM 70 Idaiess
III Way Through the BOers at Heidelberg, D
town about sixty miles from Pretoria, where
the Triumvirate. Kruger, Pretorius and
Joubert, had proclaimed the republic. But
he answered as before, that he must go on
till he was stopped, and, inspanning his
horses, set forward again, a little comforted
by the news that the bishop OF Pretoria, who
was hurrying up to rejoin his family, had
nassed through few hours before, also IN
tent upon running the blockade, and that II
he drove fast he might overtake him.
On he went, hour after hour, over the great
deserted plain, but he" did not succeed in
catching up to the bishop. About forty miles
from Standerton he saw a wagon standing
by the roadside, and halted to see II he could
get any information from its driver. But on
investigation it became clear that the wagon
had been looted of the provisions and goods
with which it was loaded and the oxen driven
of. Nor was this the only evidence Of vio-
lence. Across the disselboom Of the wagon,
the hands still c!asping long bamboo whip,
as though he had been trying to defend him
self with it, lay the dead body of the native
driver. His face, John noticed, was so COM
posed and peaceful that, had it not been for
the attitude and neat little blue hole in the
forehead, you might have thought he was
asleep and not dead
At sunset John outspanned his now flag
ging horses by tli, roadside, and gave them
each q couple of bundles Of forage from the
store that he had brought with him. While
they were eating it, leaving Mouti to keep
an eye to them, he went some way of and
sat down ON big ant heap to think. 1t was
q wild and melancholy scene that stretched
away before and behind him. Miles upon
miles Of plain, rolling east and west and north
and south, like the pillows Of frozen sea,
only broken, far along the Heidelberg road,
by some hills, known as Roof Koppies.
Nor was this all. Overhead was blazing
and burning one of those remarkable
sunsets which one sometimes sees in
summer in Africa. The sky was full Of lower
ing clouds, and the sullen orb Of the setting
sun had stained them perfectly blood red.
Blood red they foated through the ominous
sky, and blood red their shadows lay upon the
grass. Even the air seemed red. 1t looked
as though earth and heaven had been stepped
In blood: and fresh as John was from tho
sight Of the dead driver, his ears yet tingling
with the tale of Bronker's Spruit. 1t is not to
be wondered at that the suggestive sight op-
pressed him seated in that lonely waste, with
no company except that melancholy "kakara-
kakaran Of an old black koran hidden away
somewhere in the grass. He was not much
given to that sort Of thing, but he did begin
to wonder whether this was the last journey
Of all the many he had made during the past
twenty years, and il a Boer bullet was about
to solve the mystery Of life and death for
him.
BY the time that the horses had done their
forage and Mouti had forced the bits into
their reluctant mouths, the angry splendor Of
the sunset had faded, and the quiet night was
falling over the glowing veldt like pail OH
one scarce dead, There was, fortunately for
the travellers, bright half moon, and by its
light John managed to direct the cart over
many weary mile. On he went for hour
after hour, keeping his tired horses to the COL
lar as best he could, TIL at last, about II
o'clock, be saw the lighs Of Heidelberg be-
fore him, and knew that the question Of
whether or not his journey was at an end
would speedily be decided for him. However.
there was nothing for it but to go on and take
his chance of slipping through. Presently he
crossed little stream, and made out the
shape Of o cart just ahead, around which men
and couple Of lanterns were moving No
doubt, he thought to himself, it was the
bishop, who had been stopped by the Beers.
He was quite close to the cart when it moved
on, and in another second he was greeted by
the rough challenge Of sentry, and caught
sight of the cold gleam OF rife barrel
1Wie dag" who's tAcreD
@Friendp he answered, cheerfully, though
feeling far from cheerful.
There was pause, during which the sentry
called to another man, who came up yawn-
ing, and saying something in Dutch. Strain
ing his ears he caught the words, Bishops
man" and this gave him an idea
1Who are you, EnglishmanT asked the
second man, grufay, holding up lantern to
look at John, and speaking in English.
II am the bishops chaplain, sir" he an
swered, mildly, trying desperately to look
like an unoffending clergyman, Hand want
to get on to Pretoria with him"
The man with the lantern inspected him
closely Fortunately he had on dark coat
and clerical looking black felt hat; the same
that Frank Muller had put bullet through.
"He Is a preacher fast enough" said the one
man to the other. "Look, he is dressed like
an old crow! What did 'Om' Kruger's pass
say, Jan? Was it two carts or one that We
were to let through? think that it was
one"
The other man scratched his head.
u think it was two" he said. He did not
like to confess to his comrade that he could
not read. mo, am sure that it was two"
perhaps we had better send up to ON
Kruger and asks" suggested the first man.
1Om Kruger will be in bed, and he puts up
his quills like porcupine if one wakes him."
vas the answer.
~Then let us keep the id preaching Eng
liahman till tomorrow"
@Pray let me go on, gentlemen" said John,
still in his mildest voice. II am wanted to
preach the word at Pretoria, and to watch
by the wounded and dying"
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